A
Greek demi-goddess, sometimes regarded as one of the
Pleiades. More often she was thought of as the daughter of
Aeolus and wife of
Ceyx, son of
Eosphorus and the king of
Thessaly. They were very happy together, but then Ceyx perished in a shipwreck and Alcyone ["queen who wards off (storms)"] threw herself into the sea. Out of compassion, the gods changed them into the
halcyon birds. Since Alcyone made her nest on the beach, and waves threatened to destroy it, Aeolus restrained his winds and made the waves be calm during seven days in each year, so she could lay her eggs. These became known as the "halcyon days", when storms never occur. The halcyon became a symbol of tranquillity.
With Anthedon, she became the mother of Glaucus.
Ovid XI, 410
Alternative: Halcyone
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